Sondre Norheim
- the Skiing Pioneer of Telemark

Øverbø – Sondre’s
Birthplace

Here is the place where
Sondre was born – a small former cotter’s farm upon the wooded hillside.
From Øverbø, located at about 580 metres above sea level, there is a
breathtaking view
of the valley of
Morgedal.

Eivind Strondi in the Sondre cottage.
Eivind is a ski veteran and active
Morgedal Sports Club member who lives on the farm closest to Øverbø.
He has guided visitors to Øverbø since 1951. Eivind is Sondre’s
grandnephew.Photo by Eivind Molde

Late in the 19th
century there were close to 100 such small cotter’s farms in this
community. About 500 people lived in Morgedal at that time, 200 more than
today.

Over the years, there
have been a few changes at Øverbø. The Morgedal Sports Club along with the
Association for the Promotion of Skiing, located in Oslo, assumed
responsibility for it in 1949. Since then, many dedicated community
volunteers have enabled it to become a popular tourist destination.

The former cotter's farm Øverbø
Photo by Eivind Molde

The house to the left:
This is the house Sondre built when he married Rannei in 1854 and the
couple settled at a cotter’s farm called Kasin. The sports club moved the
house to Øverbø to become a part of the museum. This building is open to
the public and inside you can see various equipment made by Sondre
himself, including, of course, skis and bindings, along with cupboards and
cabinets. Notice the fireplace where the Olympic Torch has been lit three
times.

Prior to 1949 there was
a barn and a small storehouse where the Sondre cottage is placed now. So
the small farm had a total of four houses at that time.

The house in the
middle: This is the cowshed in its original form.

The house to the right:
Sondre was born in a house similar to the one you see in the picture. The
original house was in such bad shape that the sports club built an exact
replica and placed it on the original
foundation.